Author: guanyinmiao

A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting. Carlos Castaneda.
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Singapore’s gender pay gap persists, but has the gap narrowed or grown?

Posted on by guanyinmiao

A study by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and National University of Singapore economist Jessica Pan found that women in Singapore still earn less than men, but whereas ST went with the headline “Singapore women earn 6% less than men, but gap has narrowed: Study” (ST, Jan. 9) (emphasis mine), TODAY chose “MOM’s first nationwide study shows gap growing slightly between median wages of men and women” (TODAY, Jan. 10) (emphasis mine). The difference, related to the two measurement methods, was that ST compared the gap in adjusted median pay (8.8 per cent in 2002 and six in 2018) while TODAY compared the gap in unadjusted median pay (16 per cent in 2002 and 16.3 in 2018).

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Singapore’s married women having less sex than desired: Studying couples and controlling for childbearing preferences

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As a result of stress and fatigue, married women in Singapore between 25 and 34 years old – said to be in their “peak childbearing age” (ST, Jan. 5) – are reported to have less sex than desired, which consequently affects how long they take to get pregnant (a phenomenon with fertility implications). Even though this study of 657 married women is the first in the country to examine the coital frequency or sex lives of this population, it could have studied couples as dyads and could have controlled for childbearing preferences, since sex is not just for procreation and can affect marital quality and satisfaction.

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Policy challenges in ageing Singapore: A brief report

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Singapore is an ageing nation. Four key aspects of health and ageing are worth examining: The built environment, healthcare financing, long-term care facilities, and intergenerational support. Elderly Singaporeans may be fortunate to live in a well-connected ecosystem with the necessary facilities, but there are challenges in ensuring that they can consistently afford their needed healthcare. Furthermore, it is increasingly difficult to rely on loved ones for support. This brief report also questions the limits of individual responsibility and family-community support, the two key principles which underpin Singapore’s approach towards ageing.